September 9, 2014

CFTC Orders Zulutrade Inc. to Pay $150,000 Penalty and Disgorge Profits of $80,000 to Settle Charges of Failure to Supervise Activities Relating to Its Business as a CFTC Registrant

Zulutrade is a CFTC-registered Introducing Broker located in Piraeus, Greece

Washington DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing and simultaneous settlement of charges against Zulutrade, Inc., a CFTC-registered Introducing Broker located in Piraeus, Greece, for failure to diligently supervise activities relating to its business as a CFTC registrant. Specifically, the CFTC’s Order found that for at least a three-year period from October 2010 to October 2013, Zulutrade failed to follow its procedures for screening for accountholders from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) targeted countries. The Order requires Zulutrade to pay a $150,000 civil monetary penalty and disgorge $80,000 in commissions and fees it earned from accounts that were related to the supervisory failure.

OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. U.S. persons and entities are generally prohibited from doing business with persons and entities from OFAC targeted countries. During the relevant period, Zulutrade had a procedure to screen for potential accountholders from OFAC targeted countries. That procedure provided that Zulutrade could delegate implementation of OFAC screening to third party service providers or agents provided Zulutrade had a written agreement with the service provider outlining the third party’s responsibilities, and that Zulutrade would actively monitor the delegation to assure that the procedures are being conducted in an effective manner.

However, Zulutrade failed to ensure that it had written agreements with all such entities. Consequently, Zulutrade opened approximately 400 accounts for accountholders from OFAC targeted countries (primarily Iran, Sudan, and Syria). All of the accounts opened for accountholders from targeted countries were from service providers with which Zulutrade did not have written agreements.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this matter are Jennifer Diamond, David Terrell, Joy McCormack, Elizabeth M. Streit, Scott R. Williamson, and Rosemary Hollinger. The Division worked closely with staff from OFAC in this matter and wishes to thank OFAC for its assistance. OFAC has concluded a settlement with Zulutrade arising out of the same pattern of conduct.

Media Contact
Dennis Holden
202-418-5088

Last Updated: September 9, 2014